Sessions at SXSW Interactive 2012 about APIs

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Saturday 10th March 2012

• Accessible HTML 5 Canvas? Really? How?

  This workshop will cover the technical details of how to create an accessible HTML DOM structure, tie it to the visible Canvas surface, additional Canvas APIs designed to fill in the accessibility gaps, and how to keep everything in synch. The workshop will compare the implementation state of canvas accessibility across browsers. Expect code samples, and lots of them!

  • Accessibility
  • APIs
  • Canvas
  • HTML5

  At 11:00am to 12:00pm, Saturday 10th March

  In Town Lake Ballroom, Radisson Hotel & Suites Austin-Town Lake

  Coverage audio clip

Sunday 11th March 2012

• Advanced API Design: How APIs Change the World

  APIs are becoming ubiquitous, but they are really hard to design well. In this talk, we'll discuss how to design and implement an API that isn't just functional, but makes people stand up and cheer. We'll also cover tips for integrating with other people's APIs.

  But an awesome API isn't just a feature. APIs are currently transforming the world, just like open source software has changed the world for the last decade. We'll talk about how this transformation impacts developers and changes the rules.

  • API Design
  • APIs
  • Developers
  • Mashups

  At 11:15am to 11:30am, Sunday 11th March

  In Texas Ballroom 4-7, Hyatt Regency Austin

  Coverage audio clip slide deck

• Brand As API: Connect Differently

  As brands finally begin to deliver on the promise of a 1-to-1 relationship with their customers (through social media, mobile, and data-driven tools), it is critical to develop a new foundation for that relationship. This requires brands to leave the “broadcast relationship” and, instead, build a relationship sharing communication, innovation, and the very product/service itself. Insight into this relationship can be found in the structure, language, and use of APIs (Application Programming Interface). APIs provide a set of rules – a language for connecting to data and services. To remix. To build. To leverage. To extend. Many API calls provide explicit metaphors for the ways brands can connect to customers. Generally, the API relationship provides insights into the role of brands in the customers’ life. This conversation will explore these metaphors, share case studies, and work to build a language for better connecting consumers with their brands.

  • APIs
  • Brands

  At 12:30pm to 1:30pm, Sunday 11th March

  In Assembly Room, InterContinental Stephen F. Austin

  Coverage slide deck

• When Your API Is Your Product

  Most APIs support a company's product, like how a variety of applications can access Twitter content. There's a new breed of API that isn't supporting a product, but instead supporting the entire business. In these cases, the API is the product and the product helps developers solve a problem, which means developers are happy to pay. Twilio helps developers write voice and SMS applications. Urban Airship specializes in push notifications and geographic databases. SendGrid makes sure transactional emails make it to their recipients. The panel will discuss dos, don'ts and opportunities for this new type of API-based company.

  • APIs
  • Twilio
  • Urban Airship
  • Web APIs

  At 3:30pm to 4:30pm, Sunday 11th March

  In Salon FG, Hilton Austin Downtown

  Coverage audio clip slide deck

• Open APIs: What's Hot? What's Not?

  Open APIs are hot. Developers can now choose from thousands of open APIs, with hundreds more released every month. Some of these APIs serve billions of calls per day. But the API universe is changing rapidly with new opportunities and challenges on the horizon. This session will help by taking an "API deep dive" and answering many of the key questions about the state of the open API market today: What are the key trends? Who are the API leaders? What are the business models? What are the key technology debates and issues? What strategies are working today and where should you look to see where this is headed?

  • APIs
  • Web APIs

  At 3:45pm to 4:00pm, Sunday 11th March

  In Texas Ballroom 4-7, Hyatt Regency Austin

  Coverage audio clip slide deck

Monday 12th March 2012

• Building Digital Products with Passionate Users

  Your idea is hot. You have killer technology. You have angel investors on speed-dial. Your product mashes up the coolest APIs and you managed to navigate the shark-infested waters of content licensing without being eaten by a media company lawyer. There’s just one problem.

  Other than your mom, you don’t have any one using it.

  You probably forgot the most important ingredient: passionate users

  This panel will be an interactive discussion on community and product development with some veterans who have built rabid, active fanbases around their companies and they’ll share their secrets for baking passion into the product from the beginning.

  • APIs
  • Legal
  • products
  • Technology

  At 11:00am to 12:00pm, Monday 12th March

  In Capital Ballroom B, InterContinental Stephen F. Austin

  Coverage audio clip